Heretofore, there have been a variety of different types of flying disc targets and flying disc entrapment devices used in the game of flying disc golf. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,494,455, 5,868,395, 4,792,143, 4,461,484 and 4,039,189 to Headrick, the use of a pole mounted flying disc entrapment device is disclosed using a plurality of vertically mounted chains. The chains are used for engaging and entrapping a flying disc. The mounted chains are suspended above an open top basket mounted on a pole.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,948,713 to Grunfeld, a disc golf target using a chain and net assembly including an upper chain and net ring with ring sleeve is received on top of the upper pole for suspending the assembly. The upper chain and net ring is used for suspending a plurality of chains and a net. A weighted lower chain and net ring is attached to a bottom of the chains and the net. The lower chain and net ring includes a floating sleeve. When a flying disc hits the chains and/or the net, the floating sleeve acts as a shock absorber. Grunfeld also notes that his disc golf target is “portable, lightweight, rugged in construction and can be quickly assembled and disassembled” even though it is constructed to include heavy chains.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,285 to Chittenden, a disc golf target is described as using a plurality of chain segments suspended from a support member by generally U-shaped attachment loops. The attachment loops have upwardly and outwardly sloped side portions, so that the energy of the disc is absorbed and dissipated by spreading and lifting the chain segments as the disc strikes the target assembly. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,635 also to Chittenden, a disc golf target is described using chains supported from curved support members. The curved support members are disposed above a disc-receiving basket mounted on an upright stand. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,551 to Dunipace, another disc golf target is disclosed having a chain rack. The chain rack is used to suspend a plurality of outer and inner chains. The chains are disposed above a pole mounted basket. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,255 to Jolsen, a disc catching apparatus is illustrated having flexible chains, an open top basket and a top housing having one or more lamps. The lamps are used to light up the disc catching apparatus.
However, none of the conventional flying disc targets above solve the problem of creating a lighter and more portable disc golf target that still provides an effective target for trapping the flying discs. The heavy chains of these conventional flying disc targets limit their use as portable flying disc targets.